Burning Confessions
by Monster Galore
Summary: A veteran DEA agent is tasked with investigating organized crime in Boston when she comes across a corrupt lawyer and her lover, who is the Deputy Director of the FBI and finds that she has bitten off more than she could handle when she gets sucked into the world she was striving to destroy. DSQ, G!P. Don't like, keep scrolling. :) Dark Swan, no magic.
1. The Devil Is A Blonde

**This is a DragonSwanQueen story. Two characters in this pairing are G!P so if that's not your type of tea, I suggest you not bother here. Um, this story had drama, love and lies going on. Sometimes you just might hate the character, sometimes you won't. Love ain't ever easy, so have fun.**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

Emma Nolan was sitting comfortably in her office on the sixty-fourth floor of the Williams tower. She was probably one of the few free lanced lawyers in existence that was able to afford to tenant in the tallest most exclusive building in Boston. Sure she was just a criminal defense attorney but she was good at her job—so good the district attorneys office made it their personal interest to take her down... But the DA's office couldn't crucify her career even if they had resources to do so _._ Emma Nolan defended the richest scum to ever commit a crime, to some it seemed like she enjoyed watching those type people walk free and that she enjoyed destroying victims in front of their family and friends like it was nothing. Criminals deserved to have decent representation as well but Emma Nolan took that sentiment to another level—she took the law and turned it into a game for her own entertainment and commission.

It's been a long held rumor that Emma defended criminals _knowing_ that they were guilty—but proof of that fact is still being determined. As the years went on, Emma Nolan became more lethal in her profession though she managed to gracefully walk the fine line that separated legal from illegal when it came to tactics in the court room—earning the nickname _The Swan._ She's considered very wealthy for a criminal defense attorney in Massachusetts. She crossed lines other criminal defense attorneys dared not too.

Emma also had friends in high places...being the unofficial sword and shield for the usually guilty rich men and women (which were a lot...more than people would think) that could afford her legal services.

Not more than an hour ago, Emma got Will Scarlet out of trouble again for the fifth time this year. Same bullshit crime. He was the Richy Rich kind of person, never worked a day in his life; instead living off his parents money. They owned a chain of fishing and hunting stores across the country. Will thought he was the hottest thing since sliced bread. Thought he was invisible until the police catch him...then he would turn into a blubbering mess, often crying so hard Emma can barely understand him in the wee hours of the mornings when he calls from the jailhouse.

"So...is it done? Am I free to go?"

Emma rolled her green eyes, "Sure Will. Well, until the next time you decide to drive around drunk with a kilo of cocaine in the passengers seat. Do you know what I had to go through to make that disappear at 3 in the morning?"

Will had the nerve to look ashamed, "I'm sorry, really I am...but once again...you proved that you are the best lawyer in the world.", Will tried to smile charmingly but he gave it up, he knew he really fucked up this time. Emma was not happy with him, she managed to keep him out of jail but he still got stuck with substance courses. "I wired all of your money and..."

"Good. Now get out, and keep your nose clean Will. Next time I'm letting you go to jail." Emma cut him off before he could start rambling, his ramblings could last all day if she let him.

Will shrugged, holding up his hands as he stood from the comfortable plush leather chair. Not believing her for one second. He paid her too well, but he never took her warnings lightly. "Alright...alright...hey we still on for that date at the poker game next month right? You're the only friend I trust not to swindle me out of all my money."

"Looking forward to it" Emma dismissed softly, pulling out her HP notebook from her Giorgio Armani classic briefcase. She put in her password and pulled up her workload. There wasn't anything too important that called for her immediate attention, so she got up and went to her office mini bar and fixed herself a glass of vodka and cranberry juice.

Carefully slipping her feet out of her snake skin 4 inch Prada heels, Emma sat down on her leather sofa picking up the remote turning on the afternoon news. She adored her office, she had it designed to her liking and her own comfort—it was dark and comfortable. Well as dark as one can get with a giant window for a back wall with a fabulous view of the great city of Boston, Emma loved her office...it was the one of the few places she could actually relax.

Emma stretched out on her leather sofa, wiggling her now free and pretty black painted toes, the color matching her fresh manicure. Hiking her skirt a little higher up her toned pale thighs, Emma tucked her legs beneath her just as her door opened without a curtsey knock but she expected nothing less from the district attorney Zelena Greensworth.

"I hope you feel good about yourself right now."

"I'm not the one who didn't have the burden of proof.", Emma responded, taking the first sip from her cold mixed drink. "Thirsty? I know it's hot outside."

Zelena shook her head, "How do you sleep at night? There was a kilo of cocaine sitting in the evidence locker and suddenly it disappeared? He could be selling that crap on the streets of Boston right now and you're sitting here, drinking!"

"Save me the bleeding heart speech, what do you want?"

Zelena smirked, pulling a familiar three fold blue paper out of her handbag and tossed it on the sofa close to the defense attorney. "Read it and weep."

Emma set her glass down on one of her coasters on the small table behind her and picked up the subpoena, biting her bottom lip as she opened it. When she found out what it was for she was shocked and angry. "What the hell is this?"

"You're being sued."

Emma picked up her drink and stood, still reading the subpoena over. "Yes I can see that, I'm not an idiot. But for what?"

"Remember James Harding?"

Emma blinked, James Harding was one of her...more powerful clients, one of the few that pay her extra to travel to wherever they were with extreme discretion and to help them out of a sticky situation. He treated Emma well, like she was a rare ruby crystal. Emma tossed the three fold paper down on the sofa with a shrug, "Yes, I recall defending him once or twice. Why?"

"The victim is suing you for victimizing her more than James did...which is saying a lot seeing as he raped her.", Zelena said smugly, crossing her arms. "But don't worry, she is planning on suing him soon for promoting the video. So you're both screwed."

Emma ignored that last bit of information, "He didn't rape her, she lied because her 15 minutes of fame leaked all over the internet, then decided to claim rape. I smelled it a mile a way, and sold it to the jury."

"She's suing you for emotional distress."

Emma snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes, "Emotional distress? For doing my job? Let me guess...you're representing her aren't you?"

"Oh no not me, Ingrid Fisher personally saw to it that she would be the prosecutor for this case."

Emma almost lost her grip on glass, Ingrid Fisher was the Bureau Chief ADA and Emma's worse nightmare. That woman was out for blood when it came to Emma Nolan and the young lawyer hated her for it. When she was the judge, she would constantly shut Emma down at every angle possible and she could only imagine the damage control she be would doing in the court room against the older woman.

Emma managed a fake smile as she gestured for the door with her free hand carelessly, "Great...if that's all, get out. I have work to do."

Zelena just laughed, she may not be part of the minority group who had the talent for reading Emma Nolan but she had a feeling she just ruined the lawyers day. "Not sure what work you have to do, you're already prepared to be hung by a very...very long rope."

Emma watched Zelena leave her office who was still chuckling to herself, the defense attorney set her glass down on her desk harshly, and snatched up the phone. She flew through her contacts until she found the number she hardly ever used, taking a deep breath and swallowing her pride Emma pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear. The phone rang four times before the unmistakeable click cut off the start of the fifth ring. Neither attorney said a word, but Emma could ear the Chief ADA breathing softly over the line,reminding Emma that she too needed to breath. And she did so ungracefully, blowing out a loud lung full of breath over the line but she couldn't help it...the Chief ADA always brought out the worse in Emma and that was not a good thing.

"I take you got the news." It wasn't a question, more like an obvious statement and Emma rolled her eyes like a petulant child in the privacy of her office as she plopped down in her chair.

"Emotional distress is not your style Ingrid. Listen, why don't we both save each other the trouble and settle this out of court?"

"And miss the opportunity to humiliate you in court like you did my client? I don't think so. Besides once I get this case against you...you're going to be open for investigation and you're _friends_ won't be able to help you this time."

Emma's jaw clenched, almost painfully. "You have no chance of winning this type of case in court, I hope you realize this." She was reaching, trying to get past the smugness the Chief ADA was oozing—trying to get _something_ to call the womans bluff. Emma hated her.

"When you painted a rape victim as a whore in front of her friends, family and colleagues...you gave this case to any attorney willing to listen to this poor woman. You and James Harding are going to learn a very hard lesson. I just hope you're ready—but don't make it too easy." the DA disconnected the call and Emma placed her phone down with a small frown.

Emma stared out the window, into the blue skies and white clouds. With a final sigh, Emma packed up her things and locked up her office. As she rode the elevator down Emma tried not to think about anything work related anymore, especially the subpoena sitting in her hand bag. It could wait until later, she refused to worry herself over it. She knew she would have to call James later, since he was out of the country...it would take a while for him to get served. If they could even locate him— _she_ couldn't even locate him, and she didn't want to either.

Emma stepped off the elevator and into the private parking garage that was beneath the building, it was reserved for the executive businessmen and women of Williams Tower that had their names listed in the plaque in the lobby. Unlocking and starting her cherry red Audi A7, Emma set her things in the tan leather seat on the passengers side of the car as she slid gracefully into the drivers seat and left. Emma didn't really live far from work, just seventeen minutes away, give or take the downtown traffic sometimes.

Emma lived better than most criminal defense attorneys in the state, but then again...she didn't let morals get in the way of her work either, she liked money...she was driven by it, that and winning. Emma Nolan is a winner. She went from a small town girl from Storybrooke, Maine to a grown woman laughing all the way to the bank in Boston.

Emma pulled out her cell phone and dialed a familiar number, she didn't have to listening to the annoying ringing for very long. _"The Richy Rich case go as planned?"_

"Perfectly." Emma answered without missing a beat, "But that's not why I called...something came up and I need you do something."

" _What's going on?"_

"I'm being sued over that James Harding case...I want you to dig into Marian Lochlyn's past, find every dirty little secret you can on the woman _and_ her Sasquatch of a husband."

" _Okay no problem, but what if I don't find anything?"_

There was a possibility of that, Emma was aware but she knew Marian more than the woman knew herself. Emma knew cunning she saw it—hell she herself was the definition of the word. "Trust me, you will find something. Oh and Merida?"

" _Yeah?"_

"Be quick about it. The DA's office already put the noose around my neck." Emma disconnected the call as she leaned against her door, rubbing her forehead...of course she knew the risks of doing what she does, but she could go without the piercing headaches that came along with it.

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **Well that's it for the first chapter, until next time my awesome nerds!**

 **MG**


	2. Planting Seeds

**Hi again!**

 **I may have forgotten to mention that Emma is the Dark Swan for a while here but without magic. She's pretty...dark and twisted but she can't curse anyone into stone unfortunately. No magic.**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

Will Scarlet stared at the federal agents in disbelief and anger. "This isn't legal." He set his hands on the table, making the handcuffs clang against the cold steel. "You can't make me do this."

The DEA Agent across the table chuckled. "See, that's where you're wrong. I _can_ make you do this and so much more because if you don't..." the Agent twisted the unlabeled brown folder around and opened it, showing Will his long rap-sheet and photos of him committing some of those crimes. "I have enough to put you away for a very long time. Choice is yours."

Will glared at the brunette but he was powerless to do anything, he picked up his cell phone slowly. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"Call her. Now." the DEA Agent ordered, closing the folder calmly. "Remember what I told you to say and if you stray from the script...well, just don't do it. You won't like what I'll do to you." The two guards by the door shared an amused look but neither made a sound or so much as twitched.

Will Scarlet scowled as he unlocked his phone and called his lawyer. He was hoping she didn't answer, but unfortunately she did. " _What have you done this time?"_

Will forced a chuckle, "I um, I haven't done anything this time but I have a friend...she uh...well she did some bad shit and she needs a good lawyer so I recommended you."

" _So why are_ you _calling me?"_

"Um..." Will looked at the DEA Agent nervously, but she simply stared back at him blankly. "I didn't think you'd appreciate...I know how paranoid you are. So are you interested?"

There was a long pause and everyone in the small interrogation room waited for her answer with baited breaths. " _What did she do?"_

Will sighed, and shrugged..his handcuffs rattling slightly and he looked up at the Agent nervously hoping Emma didn't hear it. "Um, I don't know. I'm meeting her for lunch later...I'll give her your number then. Okay?"

" _Fine, but you know my price. Can she fit the bill?"_

Will glared at the DEA Agent but she barely reacted. "Trust me, she can."

" _Good."_ click.

Will tossed his phone across the table, and held up his wrists. "It's done, now can you let me go? I have shit to do today."

The brunette rose from her chair after collecting the folder and his phone. "I'm afraid I can't do that, not until my mission is complete, but you'll be happy to know you won't be housed with the general population in prison. Your sentence is undetermined because I've no idea how long this will take. Thank you for your help Mr. Scarlet...don't drop the soap."

The guards shut the door after the Agent, no one paying the screaming man any mind as he beat the table with his fists demanding his lawyer and a phone call. Oh the irony.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

 _Two days later..._

Emma Nolan sat in her office, doing some work—trying not to stress over the lawsuit that was in her near future. She was so engrossed in her work the knock on her door startled her. Emma checked her watch and realized that her three o'clock appointment, Regina Mills, was on the other side of her door. "Come in."

What entered her high-classed office was the complete opposite. The woman had long dark hair that fell past her shoulders. She was wearing the tightest leather pants Emma had ever seen along with a hooded leather jacket on top of a dark gray shirt. The blonde quietly watched the woman shut the door and set her red and black motorcycle helmet on the sofa before dropping down on it like she owned the place. She even kicked her boots off and placed her feet on the table; intense brown eyes watching Emma carefully.

The defense attorney offered a tight smile. _Okay._ Exhaling deeply, Emma closed her laptop and put away her file. "Yeah, make yourself at home. Do you want me to cook you dinner too?"

A finely plucked eyebrow rose in amusement. "If you insist dear."

"You're here as a favor. Don't waste my time. Why are you requesting my service?" Emma leaned back in her chair, arms folded.

Regina nodded, "I assume you read my file. You know what they're accusing me of right?" With Emma's nod of confirmation, Regina continued on. "Prison isn't my endgame so I'll be willing to pay you whatever you want _after_ you keep me out of jail. We have a deal, Ms. Nolan?"

"You're being accused of drug smuggling and murder. That's a tough home run but I do like a challenge so yes. We have a deal."

Regina raised a brow. "Don't you want to know if I did it or not?"

Emma waved her off her question. "I don't really care."

"I'm guilty." Regina challenged, eyes narrowed and Emma couldn't decipher what was behind that look and it made her uneasy, but she ignored her gut because they paycheck was going to be nice _when_ she won this case.

"That's nice, but you're pleading not guilty so I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that. I'll call you at the end of the week for the arraignment. That okay with you Regina?"

"I didn't know we are on a first name basis, _Em-ma."_ The blonde ignored the tingle that zipped down her spine. "Usually I take a girl out to dinner for that then I take her home and well...you know."

 _Ah she's one of those types. Great. Last thing I need._ "I'm not a girl, and I'm not interested in going home with you to well...you know." Emma shot back mockingly and Regina just laughed, showing her perfect pearly white teeth.

"Why not? You're gorgeous and I'd love to get you on the back my bike. It'll be a ride you'd never forget."

"Yeah right."

"What?" Regina took her feet off the table, setting her elbows on the top of her knees as she leaned forward curiously. "Boyfriend won't let you out past ten?"

"Don't have a boyfriend, not that it's any of your business."

"What about a girlfriend? You look like the type to—"

"I'm single but I'm very much unavailable to you. You're not my type, _Ms. Mills_ , so if you're done fucking up the rest of my day get out and expect my call in a couple of days."

"Of course. My apologies." Regina laughed again, slipping her feet back into her boots and gathered her helmet. She was just about to open the door but she stopped and turned to Emma who was watching her like a hawk. "I'm exactly your type, sweetheart. You just don't know it yet." Regina shut the door soundly behind her with a wicked smirk.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

Emma Nolan closed her front door—more like slammed it shut—and tossed her high heels to the side beneath the foyer table. She left the office an hour and half later than what she planned but she did manage to catch up on her paperwork. Even though she tried her damnedest, Emma couldn't shake the thoughts of Regina Mills from her mind. It was like the woman planted a seed in her head and Emma hated it. Emma absentmindedly began unbuttoning her blouse, making her way to the stairs. The only other person to plague her mind like this was—

"How was work?"

Emma nearly jumped out of her skin, back pressed against the wall. "Shit! Mal, what the fuck?!"

The taller and older blonde chuckled, "I didn't mean to scare you, Emma, but the look on your face was priceless."

"It's fine. What are you doing here Mallory?" Emma rubbed her forehead, shaking her head with a tired smile.

"Oh full name now? You must be stressed, here." Cool hands pushed aside her own and began massaging her temples and Emma couldn't suppress the grateful moan. "I stopped by because it's been almost week since we last saw each other."

Emma smiled softly, placing her hands on the older womans hips just above her holstered government weapon, and pulled her closer, hissing quietly when the cold metal of the FBI badge hanging around Mallory's neck touched her warm skin.

Mallory chuckled, but she could see how tired her lover was and wasn't going to push the younger woman for sex...tonight. "I can go if you'd like me to Emma?"

"Nah." Emma shook her head and weaseled her way from between the wall and her unofficial girlfriend. "You can stay but I have conditions, Lory."

Mallory chuckled, following the other woman up the stairs, eyes on her ass beneath the tight slacks she wore. "Yes, of course you do. What are they?"

"I want a back massage when I get out of the shower, and I want Chinese take out."

The FBI Agent followed her lover into the master bedroom and climbed in the middle of the bed after kicking off her boots, hands behind her head as she watched Emma strip out of her work clothes and toss them this way and that. "Anything else I can do to you...or for you?"

Emma glanced at Mallory's grown excitement beneath the fabric of her own slacks with a knowing grin, tossing her bra on top of the Agent's groin with perfect aim. "Not yet, Dragon. Order my food first."

Mallory pulled out her cell phone, eyes still glued to Emma until the bathroom door swung shut. After she ordered the food, the Federal Agent closed the blinds and pulled out the vanilla scented candles from the bottom drawer of the nightstand. By the time Emma dragged herself out of the shower half an hour later, the food was already sitting on the kitchen counter and the bed was ready for Emma. Mallory was sitting on the edge of the bed in her boxer briefs and sports bra watching the news. She wasn't surprised when Emma walked out of the bathroom stark naked with steam following her out but she wasn't exactly complaining either.

The older woman shifted, clearing her throat. "The food is downstairs."

"I'll eat later." Emma crawled on the bed past the woman and laid down on her stomach, head on the pillow. "Smells nice in here. I could just go to sleep right about now."

Mallory slipped off her sports bra and boy shorts before she carefully settled over Emma's derriere, and she was aware that the attorney could feel her erection but they both ignored it—for now. Mal poured a generous amount of grapeseed oil into the palm of her hand and rubbed them together to make sure her hands were warm before touching her lover.

"Mmm."Emma sighed softly when she felt Mallory's hands gently kneading into the top of her shoulders. "How was your first day as Deputy Director?"

The older woman shrugged slightly. "More paperwork than I would like, but I can still qualify for field work if I really needed to kick down someone's door."

Emma scoffed into her pillow, "Is that why you're still wearing your badge under your shirt?" Emma suddenly winced when her lover found a knot and pressed into it. "Bitch."

Mallory chuckled, "Baby, I want to try something tonight. Are you up for a little experimenting?"

"Um..."Emma sat up a little to look over her shoulder. "Maybe. What did you have in mind?"

"Lay down and spread your legs."

Emma gave Mal a look but she did as she was asked, well _told_ rather, without much complaint. Mallory scooted further down Emma's body and smiled to herself. Emma's was hornier than she let on, and Mal discovered that Emma was more than ready for what she had planned. Using her own well oiled hands, the older blonde oiled her erection. When she was ready, she slipped her free hand beneath Emma's lower stomach and lifted her off the bed a couple of inches so that she could press the head of her cock against Emma's pink nether lips.

" _Oh."_ Emma breathed out with a shudder when she felt her lover's thick cock slowly burying itself inside of her.

"Why are you always so tight?" Mallory groaned as she leaned over Emma, hands on either side of the lawyer's head as she began to gently rock her hips to ease the rest of her dick into Emma. "Do we not have enough sex? Jesus."

"It's magic," Emma grunted softly when Mal finally bottomed out as far as she could in that position. "Oh god...that feels so good."

Mal removed her hand and pressed the younger woman's lower body back down to the mattress, Emma closed her legs and crossed her ankles. Mal gasped sharply and had to force herself not to come inside of Emma so quickly. She didn't think that she'd be suffocated like this. Emma was tighter than she ever had been before and Mal _loved_ it.

She leaned down to kiss behind Emma's left ear, rocking her hips as gently as she could manage without hurting Emma. "How does that feel baby?" She got a moan in response and chuckled confidently but said nothing more. Resting her body on top of Emma's, Mallory pulled out as far she dared then eased her way back in, keeping the gentle pace not wishing to hurt Emma. She kept up that pace for what felt like an eternity.

"Lory, please!"

Hearing Emma beg was music to Mallory's ears. "Please what, darling?" She nipped at Emma's shoulder, still keeping up her tantalizingly slow pace, ignoring her own arousal.

Emma lifted her hips into Mal's using her body to beg for what she wanted. She could feel Mal breathing down her neck and she knew she wanted the same thing. Emma's orgasm wasn't far off but she wanted more. She _needed_ more.

 _"Don't tease...Lory, please..harder"_ Emma moans sounded strangled as she somehow found a way to rub her engorged clit against the sheets and she was squeezing Mal's cock impossibly tighter now. Mal couldn't resist anymore. She'd teased and waited long enough.

Mallory rocked into Emma harder and faster, the sound of their bodies drowned out the sounds of the TV playing in the background.

"Harder...Mal, I need.."

Even if Emma couldn't articulate what she wanted, Mal had somehow read her mind and delivered. Emma tried to lift herself from the bed as her orgasm crashed over her like a tidal wave but Mal wouldn't let her. She kept Emma pressed to bed, biting the back of her neck in warning to be still. Emma's cries were muffled by the pillow but Mal could hear her just fine.

She continued to fuck Emma in that position through two more orgasms, holding the quivering woman down until she was ready to cum. Mallory groaned into Emma's hair, releasing thick strings of cum into Emma. She felt some their combined essence leak out onto the sheets beneath them when she pulled out but she made no move to get off of Emma.

Both of them were breathing deeply, fighting the inevitable sleep they've been craving all day, especially now, seeing as they'd used the last bit of their energy together.

"I need another shower." Emma groaned sleepily.

Mal kissed Emma's pale skin and grinned. "The Mallory Rose special was a success."

Emma snorted, mumbling "yeah right" just before she fell asleep, drooling on her pillow. Mal got off of Emma and blew out the candles before she settled behind her lover and went to sleep.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

 _Later that night…_

Emma wasn't sure what time it was when she woke up, she laid there for a while, her body completely relaxed and she felt like she was on cloud 9. She finally opened her eyes when she realized Mallory wasn't asleep behind her. Shifting around onto her back, Emma pushed herself into sitting position. Mal looked at Emma with a tired smile. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Emma rolled her neck, popping it softly. "Did you leave me any food?"

Mal shook her head, closing her laptop halfway so the brightness of the screen wasn't blinding Emma. "Of course I did. I value my life."

"You rock babe." Emma leaned over to kiss Mal's cheek before slipping out of the bed. Mallory watched Emma pull on a short red robe and leave the room. She wanted to follow after her but she knew she needed to finish her paperwork in a timely matter for the meeting she didn't want to attend the following morning. Half an hour later, Emma came strolling back into the room with a full stomach and saw her lover hunched over her laptop sporting a frown and gnawing on her bottom lip.

"What's up with the face?"

"Just having some difficulty piecing this report together. Something doesn't add up."

Emma looked over the blonde's shoulder in confusion. "Is that a case? I thought you didn't have to do cases anymore?"

"I don't but I'm still loyal to my unit, and they need some help with this."

"Oh." Emma looked over the details of the report casually, wrapping her arms around Mallory's shoulders from behind. "So what's the problem?"

The Federal Agent shook her head, scrolling down slowly. "Well, you've heard about the torsos being found in California right?"

Emma grimaced. "Yeah."

"Well, my unit is out there now and they're hitting wall after wall trying to figure out where the rest of the body parts are...it doesn't make sense to be just missing the head, arms, and legs. They can't even create a profile because the victimology is too broad. They sent the case to me to avoid pushing it to a cold case but...I'm afraid that's exactly what's going to happen."

Emma hums quietly, a thoughtful look on her face. She's never given the issue in California much thought because it was utterly disturbing but now that it was right there in front of her, she realized that she knew something that the FBI apparently didn't.

Mallory turned slightly. "I know that hum. What are you thinking darling?"

Emma slipped off the bed quietly, leaving the room to go into her personal home office down the hall. She flipped on the room light and started looking through the files she kept in alphabetical order, so focused on her task she didn't hear Mallory follow after her, but the Deputy Director kept quiet and perched herself on the edge of the desk with her arms crossed. Emma finally found the file she was looking for and turned around, nearly having a heart attack seeing Mal sitting behind her. "Fuck, stop doing that Lory."

"What's that?"

Emma looked down at the file in her hands with a deep sigh. "I had a client come to me about two years for human trafficking. At the time I was on retainer...I won't go into the details of it all because it's in here, but I think this can help your unit with their case. He was riding around with three legs in the trunk of his car."

Mallory opened the folder, browsing through the documents with a frown. "Three legs? Three different victims...What was the verdict of the case?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't take his case...it was out of my comfort zone. I have a tech analyst on payroll and he did a little digging on this guy, and I think what you'll find is more than helpful."

Mallory set the folder down and held up a single sheet of paper. "Is this a list of websites?" Emma nodded. "Is this what I think it is? Why were you keeping this locked away? This could lock away a trafficking ring right here in the United States. Do you know where this guy is now?"

Emma gestured towards the file casually. "It's all in there, Lory, I didn't report it because at the time I was under oath, and when he fired me I simply forgot about it."

"We'll talk about this later." The older blonde collected the file and leaned forward pressing a firm kiss on thin pink lips. "One day I'm going to marry you."

Emma smiled into the kiss. "All you have to do is ask, Lory."

Mallory looked down at Emma with a curious look before she kissed her again. "I will hold you to that..." She paused hesitantly, smiling apologetically. "Emma—"

"Go. Help your unit solve their case, I understand." Emma always understood because her own schedule could be just as demanding and Mal loved her for it, and she had secretly hoped Emma loved her back. She'd caught glimpses of it, but nothing promising that it wasn't just her imagination. Mallory was almost out of the door when the lawyer called her name. She turned, waiting for Emma to say something but all she got was a tender smile... _that_ smile was hope; and it was readily returned.

"Goodnight, Emma. I'll call you tomorrow." Mallory went back to the bedroom and got dressed quickly before leaving the house quietly with her briefcase, unaware that Emma was watching her get into her off-road jeep from her office window with that same smile still gracing her beautiful face.

 _"All you have to do is ask."_ Emma repeated quietly, watching Mal disappear down the road longingly.

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **Thank you Gravity In The Air  for some awesome brainstorming and editing, and more brainstorming and good laughs. Lol, hope you all enjoyed. See ya next time awesome nerds.**

 **MG**


	3. Scandalous

**Long overdue chapter...whoops. Well, hey at least you don't have to read that far back. :) enjoy.**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

Emma parked her red Audi on the curb in a shady neighborhood well aware that she stood out painfully, but she was on retainer for the mob family that owned the area so she was more or less untouchable but it didn't mean her would be predators couldn't look. Emma pulled on her red trench coat before the wind could completely wrap around her body. She walked down a wide alley that had probably seen better days, the sound of her heels bouncing off the concrete walls on either side of her.

Eventually she made her way to the end of the alley by the time the dark clouds began to weep. She walked into the unnamed cafe shop before the first drop of rain could touch her. The cafe shop was quaint and dimly lit, but very comfortable. Of course it was mob property and there was probably more to the establishment underground but Emma didn't particularly care about any of that...the coffee and bear claws were damn good, and the DA wasn't welcomed in this part of town. This place was just another step to covering her tracks.

Granny Lucas looked up when the bell jingled over the door, "Well aren't you a sigh for sore eyes."

"Hi, Granny." Emma took a deep breath, the smell of fresh pastries in the air and making her stomach growl loudly. "Please tell me those bear claws are done."

Granny chuckled and jerked her thumb over her shoulder, "Fire crotch is waiting for you, I'll send over your usual."

Emma kissed Granny's cheek as she walked past the counter and went towards the more private section of the cafe—the area that wasn't a front in case the shop actually received honest customers. There were a few men sitting at the bar reading the local paper, and three more patrons were sitting in a corner booth but there was so much smoke Emma could barely make out their faces but she knew one of them was a woman just by the way she was sitting.

The attorney spotted Merida sitting across the room in another booth. Emma took off her coat before sliding into the seat across from the fiery redhead. No sooner after she sat down, Ruby the waitress, brought over Emma's preferred hot cocoa with whipped cream on top sprinkled in cinnamon and a bear claw, and Merida's coffee and scrambled eggs with a side of raspberry pancakes.

Emma didn't miss the way Merida's eyes roamed over Ruby's backside and smirked, "You should just ask her out."

"It'd never work out." Merida drawled with her Scottish accent, meeting Emma's gaze with a sly smile. "I work too much, and my boss is too selfish to give me a day off."

Emma chuckled under her breath, "She sounds like a real bitch."

"Oh she is but luckily for her I consider her a sister."

"Well isn't she lucky." Emma's gaze dropped down the Merida's satchel curiously as she pulled her plate closer, "You didn't make me leave my warm bed for nothing did you?"

Merida shoved a fork full of pancakes in her mouth before reaching over to pull out a few documents from her brown leather bag, "Hm, your thin patience never ceases to amaze me."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Yeah whatever, what is this?...Bank statements? What the hell am I..." she trailed off quietly, one eyebrow raised. "What the hell?"

"Keep reading, there's more."

It wasn't fifteen minutes until Emma finished her bear claw and hot cocoa when she had Marian and Robin Lochlyn's life spread across the table in front of her. Financial records held no secrets, and neither do phone records. Merida polished off the rest of her pancakes, and sat back quietly. Watching Emma work was always fascinating to her.

"Why didn't you get Peter to do this? Lass is more than capable of pulling this for ya."

Emma shrugged, eyes still strained on the numbers in front of her. "He's working on something else for me."

"Like?" Merida looked at Emma expectantly, but when Emma seemed content to just ignore her the Scottish woman shuffled the papers Emma was studying so meticulously. "What's so important he's doin' that you had me doin' his share of the dirty work?"

Emma sighed deeply, annoyed with her best friends antics but she decided to just ignore that too. "He's getting me sensitive information from the CIA's international data base and I don't want him distracted with this."

Merida looked at Emma strangely, "Sensitive? How sensitive?"

"Uh..." Emma shrugged, feigning innocence. "Like the next lottery ticket numbers."

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me right now Emma? The lottery? Aren't ya like..well off enough?" Merida deadpanned, "Not to mention yer _not_ girlfriend is a bloody serpent head to the government!"

Emma shrugged, "Chill out...I'm not actually gonna play the damn thing. I heard a rumor that it's rigged by the government and I know Lory will never tell me, so I asked Peter to look into it for me." Emma almost laughed at the look Merida was giving her, "Oh c'mon you know you wanna know too! If the numbers are rigged, I'll let you have it."

Merida barked out a laugh, "And what's to keep me from walkin' out on ya then, hm?"

"Well, I do have a special place in your heart. So there's that I guess, right?"

"Yeah...at the very bottom." Emma and Merida shared a light laugh, "I'll leave ya the day I die."

"And I'll leave you when the bullets start flying."

Merida laughed again, flipping Emma off. Once they both simmered down some, Merida set her empty coffee mug in the middle of her empty plate. "So is everything to yer liking?"

"Absolutely perfect...in fact. I'm going to pay a friendly visit to the one and only Ingrid Fisher."

"Also known as, the great pain in your arse." Merida supplied helpfully, "I think I'll hang around here for a bit...not quite yet full, if ya catch my meanin'."

Emma traced the redheads gaze across the room to the leggy brunette behind the bar, and smirked. She didn't supply a response but she didn't really need to—she gathered her things and prepared to leave.

"Try not to stare to hard fire crotch...you should just go talk to her, because if you don't. _He_ will." Emma nodded her head to a gentleman in a suit sitting near the exit, in a dark corner. Merida had spotted him earlier but she wasn't worried...not outwardly that is. "Don't worry 'bout me lass. I know what I'm doin'."

Emma snorted and walked away, that was a disaster waiting to happen but she'd be there when her friend wanted her help.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

Emma walked into the courthouse like she owned the place and given the way the crowd parted during her approach—she probably did. Whispers of the "Dark Swan" reached her ears but Emma let it roll off her back like water. One of the assistant DA's, Walsh, stopped Emma just before she reached Ingrid Fisher's office. _Oh great._

"Emma Nolan, long time no see beautiful."

Emma smiled at the tall, dark and _so not her type_ man politely. "Hi Walsh, what's up?"

Walsh gave Emma what he somehow believed was an appealing smile, but it only served to annoy Emma even more than she already was. "Well, it's not everyday you grace us with your presence from high above and it doesn't hurt that you're a pretty face too."

Emma rolled her eyes at this, Walsh certainly knew how to deliver a insult and a compliment in the same breath and still smile like it was nothing. "As much as I would love to poke fun at your career, Walsh, I need to see your boss. Is she in?"

"Fisher? Yeah, she's here. But I doubt you have an appointment, Nolan."

"I wasn't aware that Ingrid tasked you as her secretary. I guess you had to do something since you lost five prosecutions in a row." Emma brushed past him with a smirk, knowing she wounded his ego enough that he won't bother to show his face when she took her leave. Emma barged into Ingrid's office with a brief curtsey knock. The older blonde was startled from her work but that look of surprise turned smug when she realized who had the nerve to walk into her office unannounced.

"Nolan, can't say that I'm surprised to see you...what took you so long?"

Emma offered the Chief ADA an overly sweet smile as she took a seat, "How well do you know your client?"

"Excuse me?"

"The question is simple Ingrid, how well do you know Marian Lochlyn? Because as of 30 minutes ago, I've learned quite a bit about your _victim_ so to speak. Makes me wonder who's the real shark in all this mess."

Ingrid took off her glasses with a heavy sigh, "Get to the point Emma, I don't have the patience for riddles."

Emma smirked, reaching into her brief case and pulling out a few spreadsheets and set them over the Chief ADA's work, and stood. "You should really reconsider this case, Ingrid. I'd really hate to expose the Mayor's affair with this woman...seeing as her husband recently got out of jail for possession of narcotics, along with selling and using. It would look really bad if the Mayor's good name was dragged on your watch...especially since she's such a huge advocate of the DA's office."

Ingrid slammed the paper face down and rubbed her chin in frustration, "What do you want?"

Emma shrugged, moving towards the door, "Not much, just drop the case. At the arraignment next week."

Emma Nolan walked out of the office, leaving the door wide open, before the Chief ADA could speak. There was no reason for them to go to arraignment, with knowledge that the case would move no further than that—but Ingrid knew this was a power play for Emma, and she had no choice but to play into it. Emma Nolan, yet again, had the DA's office by the balls. Ingrid swore sharply under her breath as she snatched her office phone off the receiver and dialed a familiar number.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

 _Two and a half hours later, on the other side of downtown Boston..._

Emma was sitting in her office browsing the web and paying a few of her bills online when her cell phone rang. She reached down into her handbag to fish it out and saw that it was Peter, her resident hacker, and smiled.

"If this is a bad news call, Peter, I suggest you give me food first."

" _H-hey Emma! No, no...no good news...well kinda."_ he paused, and Emma could hear soft clicking in the background, from his rapidly moving fingers on his keyboard no doubt. _"I still don't have the lottery number theory confirmation but I do have Regina Mills' background."_

"Good, good. Is she clean?"

" _Not really. I-I mean yeah she ain't a narc, but this chick is not a nice person lemme tell you boss."_

Emma rolled her eyes, she hated when he and Merida called her 'boss', "Meaning?"

" _Well, she has definitely escaped prison more than once with a bunch of drug and murder charges following this chick everywhere she goes. Literally. She's bad news and I don't think we should be getting involved with this one, boss."_

"We're in bed with James Harding, Peter...and he's not even allowed in the United States unless it's for legal purposes. I think we can handle one more nutcase...don't you think? As long as she's not government material. We are fine, kid."

Peter half sighed, half groaned. _"I know...I know, but I just have a bad feeling with this one. Just be careful yeah Em?"_

There was knock on her office door, and Emma looked up to see Mallory standing there with a brown take out bag and wearing casual clothing but still managing to look professional. Emma closed her laptop and waved her in, sitting up straighter a bit. "Of course Peter, call me later if you have anything else. I have to finish up some paperwork, if you can't reach me call Merida."

" _Aye aye boss."_

Emma accepted her lover's kiss as she placed her cell phone on her desk, the smell of Italian reaching her nose made her stomach growl, "I'm starting to think you have a sixth sense or something when I need food."

The FBI Deputy Director sat on the corner of the desk, arms crossed over her chest. She had a look on her a face, one that looked thoughtful and concerned at the same time—Emma knew that face, she sat back in her chair, eyebrows raised. "What?"

"I'm going out of town...to California to help my old team with the Torso Case, it's becoming a federal territory issue so..." Mal trailed off with an uncertain half shrug.

Emma gestured towards the take out bag nonchalantly, "You didn't have to bribe me with food Lory. I figured you'd go to California sooner or later. When do you fly out?"

"My flight takes off in an hour." Mallory unfolded her arms and took Emma's hands in her own, pulling the younger woman to her feet. Emma slipped her arms around the Agent's neck, now standing between her legs. "Emma...has anyone ever told you that you're too observant for your own good?"

Emma scoffed, _of course...and I'm sure I'll be getting that message more times than I need soon enough,_ "Once or twice. How long will you be gone?"

"Just a couple of days...I'll be back before you know it. Think you can survive without me?"

"Sure. Merida will make sure I eat and...what? What's with the face?" Emma knew what Mal's eye roll was for, the woman would never admit it, but she was once insanely jealous of Merida and Emma's close relationship. It took some time, but Mal eventually tamed that feeling but even while she was the one sharing Emma's bed—her jealously of Merida never really faded away.

"Nothing, just...you know I hate her right?"

Emma pouted playfully, trying not to laugh. "Hate is such a strong word. Try dislike...you dislike my best friend in the whole wide world."

"The best friend that has seen you naked more than once? No I definitely hate her."

"You've seen me naked more than once, do you hate yourself too babe?"

Mal scoffed, "All I'm saying is, is that I don't really trust her alone with you. I mean, yes, I trust _you_ Emma but not her."

Not in the mood to have this particular conversation again, because somehow...any mention or sighting of Merida within three miles of Mal's radar—she gets all jealous and paranoid, and Emma suspected that it would never really stop until they become exclusive and official. Something that has yet to happen due to the nature of their careers. Emma kissed the Agent gently, almost dismissively, once more before stepping out of the womans arms. "You should go before you miss your flight...would hate for you to blame Merida for anything else."

Mallory shook her head, placing her hand on Emma's lower back just above her ass, "I'll call you when I land alright?"

 _Knock. Knock._ Emma stepped out of Mallory's loose embrace as the older woman turned to see who was at the door, hand drawn to her holstered weapon from instinct. Emma groaned inwardly when she saw who it was. Emma longed for the day she could retire from this job to live in a small town and wear flannel shirts and blue jeans day and night without a worry in the world.

Regina paused at the sight of the FBI Agent, namely the badge that was clipped on the woman's belt, but recovered quickly. She set her motorcycle helmet down on the arm of the sofa before sitting down, and kicking her feet up, as if she owned the place. Mal looked at Emma, but the defense attorney only shrugged and smiled apologetically. "Duty calls, but I promise I will eat later alright?"

Mallory nodded, standing and straightening out her shirt. "I'll call you later."

The room was quiet as Mallory made her exit, but she stopped just before she walked out the door, hand on the door knob and her lips pursed. Emma's eyes were darting between Regina and her unofficial girlfriend as they had a stare off, it was beginning to get awkward and Emma didn't have the time nor patience for awkward.

"Do I know you?" Mallory finally asked Regina, eyes narrowed pensively.

"I don't think you want to."

Emma winced, _goddamn it,_ if Regina was already setting off Mallory's warning bells—that was the last thing the FBI Agent needed to hear but thankfully, the woman's own pressing matters refrained her from pushing the subject more. She knew that Emma's clientele were a little more than shady, but it didn't mean she couldn't worry even if she couldn't ask. Lory looked at Emma once more before leaving and shutting the door soundly behind her.

"Mind telling me why you have a fed crawling around in your office?" Regina eyed the attorney curiously, watching the blonde take a seat in the chair across from the sofa.

Emma scoffed, "Mind telling me what the hell you're doing here? I said I would call you Regina, and I told you to lay low."

"Yes, well. That didn't work out so well for me. I may or may not have gotten a visitor from a..." the brunette trailed off with a small smirk, "Let's call her an old friend."

Emma recognized that smirk...it was the same smirk Merida would get when she did something bad and against Emma's directive. The young lawyer rubbed her forehead with one hand roughly, trying not to let the incoming headache kill her too badly. "Is this...'old friend' going to cause problems for your case, Regina?"

"She would have...if she were still alive."

" _What did you do?!"_ Emma hissed in frustration, now begging to die from the incoming headache. All of her clients sucked. There was nothing more to say, their money was great but they all sucked. It's bad enough that they're always guilty but they _always_ have to do things the hard way and leave her to clean it up. Emma held up her hands before Regina could say something else that might be worse, "That's not laying low Regina! Laying low means living straight edge until your trial is over. Murder isn't going to help you at all, especially if she's a known associate of yours...is she?" Emma asked as an afterthought.

Regina just shook her head, her smug look replaced with a more serious one. "No. We weren't the best of friends, but me being in Boston is no secret. I just need a place to 'lay low' until the trial is over, and believe it or not. Boston isn't really my go to city. I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"Go to a hotel. Or a motel."

"Please, I'd rather be dead than caught alive in a filthy motel. You're my lawyer, Ms. Swan. Fix it."

Emma glared as she rose from her seat and went to her desk, "My last name is Nolan, not Swan."

"Word on the street is that they call you the Dark Swan. A lawyer with skewed integrity, but flourished like a Swan from the very start. It's fitting really, almost regal."

Emma picked up her cell and began dialing a number, "I'm going to book you a hotel penthouse a couple of blocks from here. You will be safe until your hearing is over."

"No, I won't. You don't understand...I'm labeled a rat now, Swan. Hotels, motels, my safe-houses? All of them are compromised until this mess blows over." Regina got up and walked towards the blonde, stepping into the woman's personal space slightly. "Put me in a hotel and I'm dead."

Emma hung up, staring into unwavering brown eyes tiredly. "Answer one question, and I'll help you. Deal?"

"Yes." Regina agreed after a moments hesitation.

"Why do I care about what happens to you? You're just another paycheck with no real benefit to me. So, why do I care?"

Regina smiled coolly, eyes looking Emma up and down with twinkling amused eyes. She pushed further into Emma's personal bubble, noting how the blonde tensed up but didn't move away. "Because I have extensive knowledge on all of your dirty little secrets, Swan. Including that little mishap in Texas." Emerald eyes widened, and Regina chuckled. "Yes, dear, I know all about Texas. What a mess that was, might I add."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm just another high maintained criminal with trust issues. Keep me alive and out of prison, and I won't ever bring any of this up again. Deal?"

 _I am going to kill Will for putting Regina Mills in my life,_ Emma swore mentally but shook Regina's hand anyway. "You're going to have to leave your bike. They know what to look for now. Let me get my things and we'll leave shortly."

Regina watched Emma pack her laptop carefully into her briefcase and breathed out a sigh of relief. She moved past Emma's desk and stared out of one of the huge windows of the skyscraper that overlooked a majority of downtown Boston. It was truly a beautiful sight from this point of view, jarring really that the people down below often thought that people with this kind of view were angels in every sense of the word. When really...the people so high up were no better than the people hustling down below. The only difference was the amount in their bank accounts...and how it got there. But that was a blurred line, and a completely different story. A blurred line Regina found herself walking more and more.

The jingling of keys caught the brunette's attention, and she turned to follow Emma out of the office, not giving her own keys and helmet a second thought. Everything was falling into motion, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was all too easy.

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **All mistakes are my own, um...first update with anything in a while...so it's kinda rusty, my bad. To anyone still there in this story, until next time you guys.**

 **good night or good morning.**

 **Monster Galore**


	4. Playing With Fire

**Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows!**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

Emma tossed her keys aside in a small wooden bowl that was sitting on the table in the foyer of her cabin that was sitting on the water front of Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was one of Emma's get away homes that no one really knew about—except Merida, and now Regina Mills. It was a good two hour drive, give or take a few minutes due to traffic, but it was the longest two hours of Emma's life. Hour's she'd never get back from Regina prying into her life, or at least trying to, the woman was persistent and taunting and Emma thought about just unloading the brunette off on the side of the highway and be done with her.

Almost as if she could read Emma's mind whenever that particular thought would cross the blondes mind, Regina would smile and mention Texas vaguely—though she offered no other details. At one point when they had to stop for gas...Emma managed to convince herself that Regina was bluffing, but they both knew she wasn't.

 _The criminal defense attorney tore her eyes away from the gas pump once she locked the handle into place and walked inside of the store to get herself something to drink—leaving the brunette to her own devices in her car. It's not that Emma trusted her—not by a long shot—she'd be wiling to bet her career that Regina was rifling through her glove compartment and reading over her insurance card...or going through her briefcase._

 _Emma didn't keep important things on paper. That's what she had Peter for. He was her file cabinet. The hacker's mind was like a computer file itself and he had personally installed security on Emma's phone, tablet, and laptop...there was no way in hell Regina would get passed the power button. It was fingerprint activated, after all. When Emma got back to the car with her coffee, the gas was done and Regina looked perfectly innocent. To a fool's eye._

 _Once Emma got back on the highway towards Provincetown, the evening already starting to settle in—she finally asked a question of her own. One that she should've asked more than an hour ago, but was too thrown off balance to do so. "How do I know you're not lying about Texas, Regina."_

" _Well it's not a coincidence, dear. I've done my research on you, just as I'm sure you've done on me. Am I wrong?"_

" _I—"_

 _The brunette continued on as if Emma was never going to respond, "And besides, I didn't_ really _know if the incident in Texas was true or not..." Regina looked at Emma, leaning over the center console slightly with that infuriating half smile that irritated Emma so much, "Until you confirmed it."_

" _How?! I didn't confirm a damn thing! I..."_

" _The first drop of Texas and you froze. Now you're taking me to a safe-house hours away from Boston...if that doesn't scream guilt I don't know what does, Emma Nolan."_

" _I knew you were bad news, I should have never...goddamn it."_

" _I'm sure one Mr. Neal Cassidy had the exact same thoughts about you...but look how that ended up for him."_

" _And yet he's still haunting me from his grave." Emma sneered, hands tightening on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white._

 _Regina snorted, "If that's what you call a grave, then I hope I don't really piss you off, Swan."_

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

Emma was startled slightly when she felt someone touch her forearm gently. She looked around briefly, unaware that she was standing in the middle of the kitchen. She took a step back and tried not to think about how Regina's warm and mildly calloused fingers felt against her skin. Dismissing the brunette's concerned gaze, Emma opened a drawer that was next to the sink. Lifting a few dish rags that still had the price tag on them, there was a handful of cold hard cash sitting there neatly. All one hundred dollar bills.

Brow raised questioningly, Regina reached over and took the cash out and counted. "Is there a reason you have fifteen hundred dollars just laying around? Assuming from the amount of dust this beautiful granite counter has collected—you're hardly ever here."

"Emergency. This is a safe-house after all." Emma shrugged, "The cash is yours to use for toiletries, food and whatever else you think you'll be needing. There's spare clothes in the bedroom, mostly new. I'll be back in a week or so to check in with you. Until then, do you think you can lay low for that long? Because if you cause trouble here, Regina, I can't help you anymore."

"Of course I can, Swan. I'm not a child."

Emma scoffed, rolling her eyes and stifling a yawn. "And somehow, here I am...hiding you, like a babysitter. If there isn't anything else, I need to get back home."

"To an empty house you mean." Regina side stepped Emma's exit, and set the money on the counter—closely watching the blonde's body stiffen. "You look tired, Emma. I'd feel a lot better if you stayed here with me tonight. Can't have my lawyer falling asleep at the wheel, now can I?"

"I appreciate the concern, Regina, but I'll be fine." Emma sighed loudly when her exit was yet again thwarted, "Is this a game to you?"

"No, I really am concerned about you driving back tonight...but, would it kill you to have dinner with me tonight? I promise I won't try anything..." the 'tonight' was left out, but Emma was well aware of what the mischievous glint in Regina's dark brown eyes meant. It was the same look Lory had when she was thinking about less than innocent things—things that mostly involved Emma naked and later passed out, then hungry as hell when she eventually woke up. "I won't beg you, Emma. I'm not a lowly peasant looking for a warm body, if you want to be another statistic, I'll be sure to let your girlfriend know you didn't have to be."

Regina stepped aside and Emma breezed by her easily, collecting her keys by the front door quickly and was out of the door—completely oblivious to Regina's disappointment. Halfway out of town, sitting at a red-light, Emma stifled yet another yawn as she checked her phone for any new emails or messages while her stomach turned irritably—almost painfully. Maybe she was a little tired...and hungry, and perhaps she was a bit childish storming out the cabin the way she did. But Regina Mills was an infuriating woman...seductive and all knowing and mysterious—drove Emma nuts every time they were in the same room together.

Tossing her phone into the passengers seat without much care, a small Italian sign caught Emma's eye—as well as the lightening that lit up the sky for half a second.

DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ

By the time Emma made it back to the cabin, the wind had picked up tremendously but the rain had yet to fall. She knew coming back unannounced with a murder lurking about in one of her homes was a horrible idea—but it was her goddamn house, and she had the main key. Regina, thankfully, was only sitting in the recliner watching TV sipping red wine when Emma walked in with her hair blown all over her place. Emma came in and set the brown bag on the coffee table next to the silver _Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum._ Emma had something similar sitting in the briefcase she was carrying.

"I'm glad you listened to me, weather report just came in...overnight storm is coming in and you probably would have been stranded, and I would've had to steal someone's car and go save you."

"I'm going to take a shower, the food is there if you're hungry." when it was clear that Regina wasn't going to say anything else, Emma turned and left the room. Feeling the brunette's eyes on her backside with every-step until she disappeared around the corner.

 _Thirty minutes later..._

Emma dragged herself out of the shower and barely managed to pull on a hoodie and a pair of yoga shorts—remembering that she wasn't alone, so she couldn't walk around or sleep naked. Emma shuffled to the living room and plopped herself down on the sofa, pulling the throw blanket from the back of the sofa at the same time. She saw that the other woman laid the food containers out on the table, and set out a glass of wine for Emma.

"You can sleep in the bed if you'd like, Princess. It's big enough to fit three people."

Emma didn't even have to look, she could hear the smirk in Regina's tone. "Thank you, Regina, but the sofa is just fine." Emma reached forward for her wine glass—the first sip seeming to pure bliss as her her shoulders slumped tiredly with relief.

They sat in somewhat comfortable silence for a few more minutes, watching the western show that the brunette found— Emma had enjoyed the silence while it lasted, "I remember you telling me a few days ago you were single, Ms. Swan, but unavailable...I've been thinking about that while you were in the shower. The fed isn't your girlfriend is she?"

Not even bothering to correct Regina with her last name, Emma just shrugged. "Are you going to go back on your promise?"

"I'll try to be an honest woman, if you promise to repay the favor."

That wasn't a yes, but definitely not a no— "No, she isn't my girlfriend... _yet,_ but we are regular lovers."

"Hm, so in other words you've never dipped your toes in other ponds. Never been curious about what it's like to be with someone different...a little extra?"

Emma grinned behind her wine glass, she knew exactly what Regina was getting at—she's been around Merida and Lory too much _not_ to have noticed the brunette was packing. "Oh trust me Regina, I have enough 'extra' in my life to last a lifetime. I don't think I really need two, that's just greedy don't you think?"

Regina stared at Emma for a few beats, blinking once then twice before glancing down quickly and back to the blonde...the implication slowly dawning on her, and Emma was sure to bet that no one has ever really just unveiled Regina's game so bluntly before as she just did, "You'll never know until you try it."

"Try...what, exactly? You or going at it all at once?" _why am I even having this conversation with her?_

"Both." red lips curled slightly as Regina stood with her wine glass and food container, "But I made a promise, Ms. Swan, I promise I intend to keep tonight. Perhaps we can continue this in the morning when I'm sober and you're well rested. I would hate for anything to happen and we don't remember every last detail." Regina chuckling sounded more like a purr and Emma cursed her pale skin for making her blush so obvious. Once Emma heard the bedroom close soundly, she picked up her food and began to dig in. Contemplating whether she should sleep with one eye open.

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **DSQ :: DRAGON SWAN QUEEN :: DSQ**

 **All mistakes are my own and yes I know it's short, but this is just to let ya'll know I'm still kickin'. Next chapter is more Regina and Emma time.**

 **MG**


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